*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***
Jun 17, 1997: -- More Rookies Will Sign --
The Miami Herald is reporting this morning that the Dolphins
are moving closer to signing still more of their draft picks, as the
signing frenzy in Miami continues.
Following the signing of Sam Madison yesterday to a 4 year
deal for $2.2 million, with a $725,000 signing bonus, the Dolphins had
6 of their 14 draft picks under contract.
In Miami today to sign a contract is LB John Fiala. His deal
is reported to be a 3 year deal for the league minimum, with a small
signing bonus.
Also expected to sign this week are WR Brian Manning and CB
Hudhaifa Ismaeli. Both these players are expected to sign 3 year
deals for the league minimum, which is $130,000 for rookies this
year.
According to Kevin Ding of the Herald, anyone taken in the 4th
round and below can expect to receive a minimum salary along with a
variable signing bonus. Jerome Daniels, the Dolphins' only 4th round
pick, received a $212,000 signing bonus and 6th round picks Mike
Crawford and Ed Perry received $51,000 and $48,000 respectively.
Given that Fiala and Manning were also taken in the 6th round,
but were drafted ahead of Crawford, they should be getting signing
bonuses in the $52-$60,000 range, whereas Ismaeli can expect a siging
bonus less that $40,000 - perhaps as low as $20,000.
If Fiala, Ismaeli and Manning all sign this week, that would
leave 5 players still unsigned. All of the 3rd round picks would be
unsigned (Derrick Rodgers, Brent Smith, Ronnie Ward and Jason Taylor),
along with Barron Tanner, who was taken in the 5th round.
The deal offered to Taylor is reported to be a four year,
$1.25 million deal with a $400,000 signing bonus. Since Troy Davis,
who was taken 11 slots higher than Taylor by the Saints, has already
agreed to a similar deal, Taylor is not expected to be difficult to
sign.
The other three 3rd rounders (Ward, Rodgers and Smith) have
all been offered minimum salary deals with signing bonuses in the
$250,000 range.
My Comments:
Last year, the last player to sign was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a
third round pick. For some reason, the third round seems to be a
difficult round to get deals done, because no one seems to be sure
what the third round picks are worth.
It does appear that the Dolphins are doing better this year in
getting the third round players at least in the vicinity of a
contract, but it appears that a third round player will be the last to
sign again this year.
I didn't talk about Barron Tanner above, but because his
salary will be a minimum salary, the only question will be the size of
his signing bonus.
On the subject of salaries, I heard a report that one 7th
round draft pick of the Jags signed a contract for the league minimum
with a $5000 signing bonus. Hell, that's not even enough for a new
car!
And I thought all football players were rich...
Related Info:
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Curt Fennell,
curt@phins.com, DOLFAN in New England
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